AUBURN, Alabama -- Chris Denson has consistently been the bright spot in a season peppered with few highlights and several frustrating losses for his teammates at Auburn.

So when Denson started struggling over the last seven days, coach Tony Barbee took notice.

“We’ve had some talks and meetings with Chris," Barbee said. "How you take the pressure off of scoring is you worry about doing other things, the little things -- defending, rebounding, coming up with 50-50 balls, scrapping, talking, communicating."

Once the SEC's scoring leader, Denson's shots stopped falling last week and the Tigers have lost back-to-back games entering their regular season finale Saturday at Texas A&M. Auburn needs a win on the road to stop the skid, one which includes losses in six of the last eight games as Barbee's seat heats up near the end of the season.

Denson has scored a total of 9 points on 3-of-25 shooting in the last two games. A week ago he led the SEC with 20.4 points per game, but fell behind Missouri's Jabari Brown (20.1 points) in the race for the scoring title. He now averages 19.3 points.

"When you take the pressure off of scoring, then scoring comes naturally when you can score like he does," Barbee said. "I think he’s been thinking too much about the whole leading the SEC in scoring. I think he will get back to that.”

Auburn (13-15, 5-12 SEC) travels to take on Texas A&M (17-13, 8-9), which led Missouri until the final seconds on the road Wednesday. No matter the result Saturday the Tigers will finish among the bottom four teams in the SEC and will have to play on the first day of the SEC Tournament at the Georgia Dome on Wednesday.

Auburn guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen previews Texas A&MAuburn guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen reflects on the Tigers' 28-point loss to Tennessee and what they have to do to rebound against Texas A&M in their regular-season finale on the road Saturday. (Video courtesy Auburn Communications)

“Chris knows how important these last couple of games are to his career," Auburn guard Tahj Shamsid-Deen said. "I think he will have a different mindset and come into the game extremely focused on Texas A&M and the SEC Tournament.”

The Aggies will present some match-up problems for the Tigers, who suffered their worst SEC loss of the season in an 82-54 setback at home Wednesday to Tennessee.

Texas A&M point guard Alex Caruso is the SEC's assists leader (143) and will face off against Shamsid-Deen, who scored a career-high 17 points, including five 3-pointers, in the loss to the Volunteers. Auburn center Asauhn Dixon-Tatum, statistically, had a good game against the Vols as well with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

"It’s unfortunate we have some other individuals going the other way," Barbee said. "If we can get them back coupled with how Asauhn is playing, then we can make some noise down the stretch.”

Simply put, Denson needs to have a big game to propel the Tigers to a victory. The senior has averaged 25.4 points per game in five SEC wins.